Electric starter and generator.



Paented Dee. 10, T918.

1.0. HEINZE. ELECTRIC STARTER AND GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, I9I5.

` and State of Michigan,

JOHN 0. HEINZE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, PANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OI-II ASSIGNOR TO THE JOHN ELECTRIC STARTER .AND GENERATOR'.

Application led March 22, 1915.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN O. HEINZE, a

citizen of the United States of America, re-

county of Wayne siding at Detroit, in the have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Starters and Generators, of which the ,following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an electric generator and engine starter especially adapted for use on motor vehicles and its object is to provide a very simple, compact and eihcient construction so arranged as to greatlysimplify the. means for connecting the same with an internal combustion engine to impart motion to the engine in starting and to drive the device as a generator after the engine has started. A further object is to provide certain other new and useful features, all as hereinafter more fully described, the invention consisting in p art, in providing a tubular armature shaft with a longitudinally movable member extending therethrough for efecting a connection of the motor and generator with the engine1 and further consisting in certain other matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which the figure represents a. longitudinal section through a device embodying the invention and illustrating the manner of connecting the same to an internal combustion engine.

IVithin a suitable casing 1 is mounted the field coils 2 of an electric motor and the corresponding field coils 3 of a current generator, and bearings 4- and 5 are provided in the ends of the casing for a driving shaft 6 which extends through the tubular armature shafts 7 upon which are mounted the armatures 8 and 9 of the motor and generator respectively. The tubular shafts and driving shaft are grooved to receive a spline or key 10 for operatively connecting the same to turn together and to permit of a free longitudinal movement of the driving shaft through the tubular armature shafts.

Any suitable means may be provided for transmitting motion from the shaft 6 to the crank shaft of an engine and from the engine crank shaft to said shaft, such connection being preferably effected by a longitudinal movement of said shaft 6. In the Specification of Letters Patent.

largement 17 Patented Dec. 10, 1918. Serial No. 16,239.

drawing, a simple and efficient arrangement 1s illustrated comprising a skew gear 11 secured upon one end of said shaft to be brought into mesh with a like gear 12 on the fly Wheel or other convenient part of an engine Iwhen the shaft is moved endwise and the electric motor is energized, a suitable friction clutch 13 being provided at the opposite end of said longitudinally movable shaft to effect a driving connection between said shaft and a suitable train of gearing 14 or other suitable means for transmitting motion from the crank shaft 15 of theengine.

The shaft 6 is moved longitudinally in one direction and normally held with the members of the clutch 13 engaged, by means of a coiled spring 16 sleeved upon the shaft between the end of the casing and an enlargement 17 on the shaft, and to move said shaft in an opposite direction against the action of said spring and bring the gears 11 and 12 into mesh, an electro-magnet is formed by providing a magnetic coil 18 the outer end of which is connected by a wire 20 with the field of the motor and this coil encircles the shaft 6 and spring 16 within a tubular extension 19 on the end of the casing, to which extension the inner end of said coil is connected, the motor circuit and coil being thereby grounded. The shaft and enthereof forms the movable core or armature of the electro-magnet, the tubular extension or sleeve 19 forming a part of the magnetic vcircuit and said sleeve is preferably formed flaring near its outer end and the enlargement 17 to decreasingly reduce the air gap between said sleeve and enlargement as the shaft is moved longitudinally upon energization of the coil. The coil of the electro-magnet being connected to the field of the motor, said coil is energized at once upon the energization of the motor to start the engine, and thus the shaft 6 will be automatically shifted to bring the gears 11 and 12 into mesh immediately upon the closing of the motor circuit switch or other controlling means (not shown), and in a like manner when the current to the motor is cut off, the magnet will be denergized, permitting the spring 16 to operate to shift the shaft and bring the members of the friction clutch 13 into engagement. Preferably the'parts are so proportioned that the members of the friction clutch 13 will be disengaged just before the O. HEINZE COM-v O, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ing completely through the startin starter unit can be entirely disconnected if. desired', any suitable means, not shown, be-

ing provided to hold the shaft in an intermediate position. The operator will open the motor circuit as soon as the engine begine to operate under its own power and the immediate engagementof the clutch members Will cause the transmission of motion from the gear train 14 which is operated by the engine shaft, to the Shaft 6 upon which the generator armature 9 is secured and .the

i of a starting unit having a tubular armature generation of current will at once begin.

By providing a `tndiular armature.; extendunit, any suitable member may be eXtende therethrough for electing the Aengagement and disengagement of the means for transmitting motion to and from the engine,'witliout the necessity for the yproviding of shifting means outside of'and at each end 4of the casing where a connection 1s made,v as shown,

wat each end of the shaft. in I'thedrawing lmeans is shown at each end of the starting unit to transmit motion to and from the engine, and while this is the preferred construction it may be found preferable in certain installations to provide motion ltranswithin the scope of the appended claims and invention.

Havin thus fully described my invention, whatlcaim is:-

l. ln an engine starter, the combination of a starting unit having an armature and atubular armature shaft extending completely through the armature, and means for transmitting motion to or from said armature without departing from the spirit of the to an engine including means movable lon tudinally through said tubular shaft means for ltransmitting motion to or from said armature including a member extending through said armature and movable longitudinally for malnngsald motion transmitting means effective for transmitting motion.

3. ln an engine starter, the combination of a starting unit having an armature, and means for transmitting motion .to or from said 'armature including a shaft operatively assenso-i tion transmittingmeans eective for trans- -mitting motion.

5. In an engine starter, the combinationl shaft, means for transmitting motion to or from-said shaftvto an l engine including` a driving shaft slidablein said tubular shaft -and operatively connected thereto to' turn therewith, and means operated by the sliding of said driving shaft for e'ecting an operative connection between said engine and drivingshaft'.

6. In an engine starter, the combination of 'a starting unit having a tubular armature, means for transmitting motion to and from said unit to an engine including a shaft extending through the tubular armature and operatively connected thereto to turn therewith and tol have a movement independently thereof, and means operated by a relative movement of said shaft and armature to effeet an .operative connection lbetween an engine and said armature.

7. lun an engine starter, the combination of .a starting unlt having-a, tubular armature,

means for transmitting motionto and from an engine including a shaft' extending through ythe tubular armature and operatively connected lthereto to turnrtherewith,

and to have a. movement independently thereof, and-includingv means at each end of the armatureoperated by a relative 'movement between said shaft vand armature for effecting thev transmission of motion by said motion transmitting means.`

8. The combination of a starting unit having a longitudinally'movable armature shaft, means at one end of said unit for transmitting motion from one end of said shaft to an engine including a member carried by the shaft for effecting a positive driving connection with the shaft, means at the opposite end of said vunit for transmittin 'motion from an engine to said shaft inclu ing friction clutch members one of which is carried by said shaft.

9. ln an engine starter, the combination of a starting unit havin an armature and a tubular shaft upon which the armature iq mounted and which shaft extends entirely through 'the armature, motion transmitting means and means extending through and operatively connected to the tubular shaft to l0. rlhe combination of a startin 'unit' having a longitudinally movable shaft, and means at one end of sald ting motion thereto to drive the unit, and means at the opposite end of the shaft for transmitting motion therefrom to an engine,

p said shaft being longitudinally7 movable for making said motion transmitting means. at either end of the shaft efi'ectlve to transmit motion.

llflhe combination of a starting unit` having a longitudinally movable armature sha means at each end of the shaft for transmitting motion between the-shaft and an engine, including a member on each end of the shaft for eecting an operative `connection between the shaft and the motion transmitting means when the shaftis moved in either direction, and means for moving the shaft longitudinally.

12. The combination of a starting unit having a longitudinally movable armature shaft, means at each end of the shaft for transmitting. motion between the shaft and an engine includin 'a member on each end of the shaft for effecting an operative connection between the'shaft and the motion transmitting means when the shaft is moved in either direction, an electro-magnet for moving the shaft longitudinally in one direction, and a spring for moving the shaft longitudinally in an opposite direction.

13. The combination of a casing, fields of an electric power unitsecured in the casing, a tubular armature, a member extending through the tubular armature and beyond the ends of the casing, means for transmitting motion between an engine and the armature ateach end of the casing, and electro-magnetic means within the casing controlled by the power unit for operating the means extending through the tubular armashaft for transmitture to effect an operative connection between the motion transmittlng means and the armature. 14. The combination of a motor and a sep-l arate generator, each having a tubular armature shaft extending therethrough, a driving shaft extendin therethrough and operatively connected t ereto to t-urn therewith, said shaft being free to slide longitudinally through the tubular shafts, means for trans'- mitting motion between the driving shaft and an engine, and means for moving driving shaft longitudinally to eii'ect an operative connection between said shaft and motion transmitting means.

15. The combination of a casing-a motor and a separate generator secured in the the casing in axial'alinement and arranged end to end, a tubular armature for said motor and a tubular armature for the generator, bearings in the endsof the casing for said tubular armatures, a drive shaft -in the tubular armatures operatively connected thereto'to turn therewith and free to move longitudinallytherethrough with its ends projecting beyond the ends of the tubular armatures, a gear on one end of the driving shaft, a gear operatively connected to an engine to be engaged by the gear on the driving shaft, means for transmitting motion between an engine and the o posite end of the driving shaft, a friction c utch to edect an operative connection between said means and the end of the driving shaft and adapted to be operated by a longitudinal `movement of the shaft, an electromagnet for moving the driving shaft longitudinally in one direction, and l a spring to move the shaft inan opposite di rection and operate the friction clutch.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN o. HEiNzE. i

Witnesses:

ANNA M. Donn, CHAs. W. STAUFFIGER. 

